Clustering of MAL genes in Hansenula polymorpha: cloning of the maltose permease gene and expression from the divergent intergenic region between the maltose permease and maltase genes.

Hansenula polymorpha uses maltase to grow on maltose and sucrose. Inspection of genomic clones of H. polymorpha showed that the maltase gene HPMAL1 is clustered with genes corresponding to Saccharomyces cerevisiae maltose permeases and MAL activator genes orthologues.